Letters from the Evans: SURPRISE! 30th Anniversary Party (Part 1)

Yesterday was a very special day! Not quite as special as July 24th will be when my parents celebrate their ACTUAL 30th Anniversary, but yesterday was the day that many friends and family celebrated with them and congratulated them on accomplishing what not very many couples manage to do these days: stay happily married for 30 consecutive years to the same person. That's pretty amazing and definitely deserving of recognition and celebration!

In February I started thinking about what we could do to make this particular year special for my parents. They do so much for so many people, and I wanted them to feel that same feeling of being treated and loved on. After brainstorming with Bryan, we asked Grady & Marissa if they would want to throw a party for my parents with family and friends that have been there for them through the years and really know what a wonderful 30 years it's been. They readily agreed, and we started working on logistics.

Although most surprise parties don't end up being a surprise, we decided it would be well worth trying if it actually stayed a secret. I scouted out a nice facility in the Montgomery area with a pretty big room and knew we could comfortably fit about 60 people. Marissa and I got to work designing invitations, making a guest list, and gathering decorations (Thank you Leah for loaning us some of your goodies too!). Grady & Marissa put together a music play list and sent out the invitations while Bryan and I found a caterer, ordered the cake, wrote a "guest lib" and rolled napkins. It has been coming together nicely!! And we actually had a great response from the guests! At least 2/3 - maybe 3/4? - of the folks said they would be able to make it. My one great fear this entire time was not knowing who we should have invited and didn't because we couldn't ask my parents. If we left someone out, I promise it was VERY unintentional and is not a reflection of how my parents feel about you!! We tried, but I know we probably didn't get the list perfect.

Grady & Marissa (and Murphy too, of course :) drove in from Midland on Friday, and we finished up some last minute touches. Saturday morning we packed up everything we needed (or so we hoped) and drove the 50 minutes over the facility to start decorating. It's a pretty bland room on its own, and I knew we would need some time to get it looking good.

We set out all the tables and chairs, tablecloths, napkins, and centerpieces. Grady & Bryan started hanging the streamers and other fiesta decor from the ceiling.

Grady & Marissa got the ladder, ordered balloons and bought beer while Bryan and I ran to The Woodlands to pick up the cookie cake and had to run back to Tomball to get the things we forgot.

It was getting closer to time and the room was starting to look really festive! I think the 4 of us were pretty impressed with how cute the hall was managing to look.

Working on the set up:

Hats with candy and pictures, and eventually balloons coming out the top.

Hanging the Chinese lantern looking balloon things:

Bryan comforting wee Clara for a little while:

The massive Cookie Cake from The Great American Cookie Company!

It says Happy 30th Anniversary in case it's hard to read, and it's two toasting margarita glasses :) I'm not very creative so this was the best I could come up with, haha. It did turn out really cute!

Clara made the set up much easier on us by taking an afternoon nap. Thanks honey!

Grady's margarita glass masterpiece & Mom & Dad's extra festive personalized glasses:

The time had come for the guests to start arriving! Los Cucos was set up, the decorations were in place, and we were ready!

I ran to go pick up Mom & Dad while the guests started visiting:

And signing the frame:

Many friends and family came!!

You may notice that Clara is in MANY pictures! She definitely made the rounds!

Side note: Thank you Aunt Tricia for picking up the 30 & Happy Anniversary balloon for us, the cute table picture holders, the frame for signing & the gift bag!!! We REALLY appreciated it!!!